| 释义 |
round about, adv. and prep.
[See round adv. and about.
In Gower Confessio Amantis and Spenser F.Q. the inverted form about round is also used.]
A. adv.
1. In a ring or circle; all round; on all sides or in all directions.
1338R. Brunne Chron. Wace (Rolls) 8783 Rounde aboute, þen ar þey [stones] set. 1390Gower Conf. I. 54 A litel plein, All round aboute wel besein With buisshes. c1420Lydg. Assembly of Gods 386 Thus was the table set rownde aboute With goddys & goddesses. 1490Caxton Eneydos xxxi. 117 Euery chambre was walled and closed rounde aboute. 1526Tindale Rom. xv. 19 From Jerusalem and the costes rounde aboute, vnto Illiricum. 1581W. Blandy Castle of Policy 16 b, The souldiar standes readely furnisht to fight in the fielde, where he may looke round aboute. 1617Moryson Itin. i. 58 Under the fortification of the Castle round about, are stables for horses. 1655Stanley Hist. Philos. (1701) 86/2 Frequently looking back and round about, as greedy to be Revenged of the Enemy. 1703Maundrell Journ. Jerus. (1707) 17 On the other side..stood a great square Tower, and round about, the rubbish of many other Buildings. 1725Fam. Dict. s.v. Marchpane ⁋2 The Paste must be carefully stirr'd to the Bottom, and also round about. 1768Ross Helenore 66 When day was up, an' a' clear round about. 1859Geo. Eliot A. Bede x, They work at different things—some in the mill, and many in the mines, in the villages round about. 1878Browning Poets Croisic i, Yon hollow, crusted roundabout With copper where the clamp was.
2. With a circular or encircling movement; so as to pass or turn right round.
1500–20Dunbar Poems lvi. 14 Let anis the cop ga round about. 1535Lyndesay Satyre 824 Me think the warld rinnis round about. 1586B. Young Guazzo's Civ. Conv. iv. 188 Euerie one beganne to drink round about. 1611Cotgr., Virevoulter, to..turne or wheele round about. 1648Hexham ii, Rondt-om gaen, to goe Round about.
3. To the opposite direction.
1582Allen Martyrdom Campion (1908) 115 Which [psalms] finished turning himself round about to all the people, [he] said unto them in this sort. a1800Lady Maisry xii, She's turnd her right an roun about. 1901M. Carmichael Life Walshe vi. 82 And do but turn round about and behold the gentle city of Lucca.
4. By a circuitous path or route.
1870Spurgeon Treas. David Ps. xxx. 2 He went at once to head-quarters, and not roundabout to fallible means. 1886Holland Chesh. Gloss. s.v. Raind-abait, To go reawnd⁓abeawt for th' next road.
B. prep.
1. So as to move or pass round; so as to encircle by moving round.
1484Caxton Fables of æsop v. ix, I haue gone round aboute the countre and prouynce. a1548Hall Chron., Edw. IV, 8 b, The lord Scales roade round aboute hym. 1598Shakes. Merry W. iv. iv. 31 An old tale goes, that Herne the Hunter..Doth..Walke round about an Oake. 1605― Macb. iv. i. 4 Round about the Caldron go: In the poysond Entrailes throw. a1639Carew Beautiful Mistress 12 The darkness flies, and light is hurl'd Round about the silent world. 1735Pope Prol. Sat. 186 He who now to sense, now nonsense leaning, Means not, but blunders round about a meaning. a1833Battle of Otterburn iv, He marchd up to Newcastle, And rode it round about. 1882Blackmore Christowell ii, Tim went round about it,..and avoided the village.
2. In a ring or circle about; on all sides of; in all directions from.
1535Coverdale Exod. vii. 24 The Egipcians dygged rounde aboute y⊇ ryuer, for water to drinke. 1590Spenser F.Q. ii. ii. 25 Attonce he wards and strikes; he takes and paies;..Before, behind, and round about him laies. 1632Milton Penseroso 48 And hears the Muses in a ring, Ay round about Joves Altar sing. 1676Grew Anat. Pl. (1682) 175 Sometimes they [sc. flowers] are placed round about the Branch, that is, Coronated. 1728Chambers Cycl. s.v. Horse-Shoe, Shoes with swelling Welts or Borders round about them. 1833Tennyson Lady of Shalott iv. i, Round about the prow she wrote ‘The Lady of Shalott’. 1871Earle Philol. Eng. Tongue (1873) 8 Round about these, in a broken curve, are found the representatives of the Low Dutch family.
3. Of time, amount, etc.: about; approximately; = around prep. 4 b.
1913P. Reeves (title) Round about a pound a week. 1926W. R. Inge Lay Thoughts 182 In the Middle Ages the births and deaths in the undrained towns were both round about 50 per thousand in each year. 1961N. Cardus Sir T. Beecham 64 It was round about 1931 that he told me he was about to form a new orchestra in London. |